Category: Press Releases

Good afternoon and welcome to this ‘Opportunities Fair’ that we might also call Good News Friday.

In November 2011, just a few days after I first arrived on St Helena, we received a green light from the British Government for the St Helena Airport project to go ahead.  That set in motion a massive amount of work and not just on the Airport project itself, but right across the board, to prepare this Island for what is unquestionably a turning point in her history.

Basil Read of South Africa was quick off the mark and has had a boot pressed firmly on the accelerator ever since. They have performed superbly and are approaching the last lap, as they prepare our Airport for commercial operations in less than a year from now.  Well done to Deon de Jager and his team from Basil Read, plus all the Saints and others who have worked so hard on the project.

In 2013, with Airport construction well underway, we received a visit by a team from the Mantis Collection luxury hotel group, led by its Chairman Adrian Gardiner.  Adrian and his colleagues quickly recognised the great potential St Helena holds for quality tourism development.  They saw a good fit with the Mantis portfolio and wanted to be involved as we geared up for air access and the growth of our tourism sector.

Just a few days ago I was delighted to learn that Mantis is now the preferred bidder to manage the important new hotel development on Main Street in Lower Jamestown.  This is great news for St Helena. It represents a powerful vote of confidence in St Helena by one of the world’s leading, luxury hotel companies.

Thank you and well done to Adrian and his talented team at Mantis – we look forward to working with you.

To add to the great news about Mantis came the exciting announcement that Comair of South Africa is to become our air service provider, with weekly flights between St Helena and Johannesburg.  Comair has a fine and well deserved reputation as one of the most reliable carriers in the world. Through its close operational association with British Airways it brings us access to a massive and well-established global network of flights and marketing.  My congratulations and thanks to all at Comair who were involved in the bid process.

As we continue to steer St Helena towards new opportunities, to shape a prosperous future for the benefit of all who live and work on St Helena, we are indeed fortunate to have on-board two strong partners of the calibre of Mantis and Comair.

But as I said a few moments ago, in November 2011 we began work across the board to prepare for the changes ahead.

That meant working to improve education, to improve healthcare and social services, and to make sure that nobody is left behind. While there is still much more to do, I am pleased that we have made steady advances in these areas as well. To offer a few examples:

• Last year we saw the best GCSE results ever
• The adult and vocational education provision has steadily improved with increased participation
• In a few days time, residents of the Challenging Behaviour Unit will move into fine custom built facilities, developed to an excellent standard by a local contractor
• We have introduced a minimum wage and the MIS, the Minimum Income Standard
• There is now a separate Safeguarding Directorate, with professional and experienced  staff  devoted to safeguarding the vulnerable in our society
• Our Police Service is now more professional, better trained and equipped to protect our community

To add to the good news, I am pleased to announce this afternoon that, after much detailed hard work, your Government has just this week signed off on a major contract worth £2.8 million for the refurbishment of our General Hospital. A project that will greatly enhance the medical services available here on St Helena.

So much more is also underway in other areas, such as waste management, renewable energy and environmental protection.

And we should not overlook the significant economic benefits that construction of the Airport has already yielded. Unemployment is at a record low level. Over the last two years, high levels of employment have seen average local incomes increase by more than 18%.  The number of businesses is increasing. Over 100 Saints returned to live on the Island last year.

These are all encouraging steps in the right direction. Even before the Airport opens we have been able to improve services and the support we give to the most vulnerable in society, as we endeavour to ensure that everyone benefits from economic development.

By any reckoning, we have achieved a great deal in just a few years and I am immensely grateful to our Councillors and public servants for all their hard work and commitment that has made this possible.  For such a small community, with limited resources, we can be proud of the progress made in such a short time.

I thank Dr. Niall O’Keeffe and his team at Enterprise St Helena for organising this event.  Now I’ll stop there and hand over to Dr. O’Keeffe. I’m sure he will be happy to talk to you about what  ESH is doing, to provide a wide range of support to existing businesses, to those wishing to invest here and to tourism linked initiatives.

 

Governor Mark Capes

27 March 2015

 

 

St Helena Government is pleased to announce the signing of the Hospital Refurbishment contract, worth £2.8m, with Basil Read on Wednesday 25 March 2015.

This major refurbishment of the Hospital will provide St Helena with an Intensive Care Unit and a significant investment in new equipment, including a Medical Diagnostic Suite, including a CT Scanner (computerised tomography), a new Operating Theatre (with an associated central sterilising department), and a new radiography suite, plus ultrasound equipment. The new equipment will be of the highest international standards.

Director of Health, David Jenkins, commented:

“I am delighted that we have been able to agree the terms of the contract for the refurbishment of the General Hospital. This is a significant landmark for St Helena and for the health of the nation. This refurbishment will provide top of the range equipment in areas essential for St Helena and allow us to make more accurate clinical diagnoses and detect illnesses which we may previously not have had sight of.

“Some of the equipment, such as the CT Scanner, will allow us to provide better care to patients in St Helena and reduce the number of patients who need to go overseas.

“Sincere thanks are extended to all those involved in the project, in particular to the former Senior Medical Officer, Dr Atilla Frygesi, and other clinical staff at the Hospital who have worked very hard to articulate our clinical requirements. Thanks also to the programme and procurement teams, the AG’s Chambers and to Elected Members for their support.”

Chairperson of the Public Health Committee, Derek Thomas, added:

“The refurbishment of the Hospital is very positive for the Island.  It will allow better care for the critically ill and more appropriate treatment. It will also provide a better patient experience and reduce the number of patients who may have previously needed to be sent overseas for their diagnoses.”

Refurbishment works will start in May 2015 and are expected to take around ten months to complete.

The Health Directorate will endeavour to minimise the disruption at the Hospital and thank the public in anticipation of their patience and cooperation.

 SHG

27 March 2015

Financial Secretary Colin Owen this morning delivered his third Budget Speech for St Helena, following agreement of the BAM budget settlement with DFID on 23 March 2015. The settlement sees DFID continue to support SHG’s recurrent expenditure at the same level of last year, £13.55m.  DFID has, in addition, allocated £1.2m to support safeguarding. Improving the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults is a priority for SHG.

DFID will continue to subsidise the running of the RMS St Helena.  The subsidy for 2015/16 is expected to be £2.68m, reflecting increased use of the RMS and the lower cost of fuel.

Total support provided by DFID for 2015/16 will be £19.43m, including TC funding.

The budget speech outlined significant increases in expenditure and increases in revenue through a number of tax changes.

Highlights from the speech included:

• Total expenditure for 2015/16 of just over £32 million
• Increased funding for priority areas, including an additional £252K for Health, an increase of over £944k in the past two years
• An additional £1.2m for the new Safeguarding services
• A further £326k allocated to the Police and Fire Service, reflecting the investment in front line services required for Airport certification and operations
• £6.5m from DFID to be spent on Capital Infrastructure Projects in 2015/16
• Tobacco duty for the second year running is increased by 5%
• Duty on all alcohol imports increase by 3%
• Full equalisation of duty achieved ahead of time on diesel and petrol at 39p per litre
• Liquor duty increased to £4 per litre
• Duty on each takeaway styrofoam box and plastic shopping bag increases to 10p
• Increase in the basic level of income tax to 26%
• Introduction of a higher rate of tax at 31% for income over £25,000

Colin Owen commented:

‘We have introduced a number of changes in this year’s budget which will not be appreciated by all, but the changes are being made for good of the nation rather than just the individual. This will allow us to put additional monies into areas such as benefits and further improve our Health Service’.

The full Budget Speech is available on the SHG website at: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/finace/

BUDGET SPEECH 2015 16

SHG

27 March 2015

AIRPORT – Air Services Hotel Management for St Helena – 27 March 2015

AIRPORT – St Helena Air Services to be Provided by Comair (Aviation Only) – 27 March 2015

St Helena Air Services Q and A – 27 March 2015

Following a recent road traffic accident, the Highway Authority has approved the closure of the Seaview Road from Gordon’s Post to Corner of the Wall Junction (the Briars/Constitution Road) on Sunday 29 March 2015. This is necessary to repair the damage to the wall at Button-Up Corner.

The road will be closed from 8am until 2pm and during this time diversions will be in place.

The Roads Section would like to apologise for any inconvenience this closure may cause, and thank the public in advance for their continued understanding and cooperation.

SHG

25 March 2015

Councillor Lawson Henry returned to the Island on Tuesday 10 March 2015, having attended a series of trilateral meetings, the Ministerial Conference and the 13^th OCT-EU Forum (Overseas Countries and Territories – European Union) in the British Virgin Islands from 25-27 February 2015. Councillor Henry was accompanied at these meetings by SHG UK Representative, Kedell Worboys MBE, and Tristan UK Representative, Chris Carnegy.

A wide range of topics were discussed ranging from unlocking the value of the OCTs, sustainable use of natural resources, renewable energy, climate change and disaster risk reduction. For the first time, Joint Conclusions from the OCT-EU Forum were also agreed by OCTs, the European Commission and Member States.

Renewable Energy, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Reduction were agreed as the themes for the Thematic Budget line under the 11th European Development Fund -which St Helena will be able to access in addition to the Territorial Allocation.

Councillor Henry found it very useful attending these meetings, both for the discussion and for networking with colleagues from other territories with similar issues to St Helena – hearing how they are working towards overcoming some of these issues.

Councillor Henry commented:

“This was the second time I have been nominated to attend this forum and was thus better placed to understand how the EU works with the Territories – the more knowledge we gain the stronger St Helena can be represented at future forums.

 “We receive substantial funding from the EU which is very important to St Helena. It is only right that we attend these forums to account for how we are spending the funds and reporting the difference these projects make to residents’ lives.”

 Councillor Henry also had the opportunity to meet the new Commissioner responsible for International Development and Cooperation, as well as witnessing the unanimous vote for SHG’s UK Representative, Kedell Worboys MBE, as President of the OCTA Executive Committee (a separate press release will issue shortly on Kedell’s election).

Councillor Henry concluded:

“I always feel very honoured to be representing the Island and am grateful to my colleagues for having the confidence in nominating me.  I must of course mention the support from Officers in SHG but also from our UK Representative, Mrs Kedell Worboys MBE. I would also like to mention too that we had the privilege of having Tristan’s new Representative, Mr Chris Carnegy attend, as part of the St Helena delegation and I would like to pay tribute to him for his support.”

SHG

24 March 2015

 

 

A formal meeting of Legislative Council will take place this Friday, 27 March 2015, at 10am in the Court House, Jamestown. The meeting is expected to last two days, continuing on Monday 30 March 2015.

The main purpose of the meeting will be the Budget Session when the Financial Secretary will make his Budget Speech to Legislative Council. Ten Sessional Papers, including two Bills for an Ordinance – The Appropriation Bill, 2015 and the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2015 – will be presented in the House along with fourteen questions and five Motions on Friday.  Five questions will be asked on Monday.

The Order Paper is available on the SHG website at https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/committee-reports/

The meeting will conclude with the customary Adjournment Debate, when Councillors will have the opportunity to raise various issues relating to St Helena.

The last formal meeting of Legislative Council took place on 23 January 2015.

SHG

24 March 2015

 

 

A Parents Protect Awareness Session will be held at the Jamestown Community Centre tomorrow evening, Tuesday 24 March 2015, starting at 7pm. This particular session, for parents, carers and other adults of Pilling Primary School, centres around a 90-minute presentation.

The Safeguarding Directorate, in conjunction with the Police, has been organising these sessions since December 2014 on St Helena and Ascension Island.

The presentation raises public awareness of child sexual abuse and provides positive messages about what can be done to protect children. The session focuses on dispelling common myths about child sex offences and offenders, while at the same time providing parents and carers with sound information which will help them to keep their children safe.

The presentation also offers a better understanding of how convicted sex offenders are managed by the Police, probation and other statutory and voluntary bodies on release into the community.

SHG

23 March 2015

The final rock blast for the St Helena Airport Project took place at the Airport site, Prosperous Bay Plain, at 5.20pm on Friday 20 March 2015. The final blast was carried out as part of creating safer slopes in an existing borrow pit near the Navigational Directional Beacon site on the eastern side of the Runway. The final blast used 975kgs of explosives and yielded approximately 3700 tonnes of blasted rock.

The operation went well, achieved its objective, and marked three years of safe and efficient blasting from the Basil Read Blasting Team and the end of all blasting operations required for the Airport Project.

A total of 383 controlled explosions have taken place for the Airport Project with no safety or misfire incidents.

Basil Read’s Production Manager, Deon Robbertse, paid tribute to Blasting Supervisor, Alan Hudson and his team. He said:

“The Blasting Team has been an integral part of the Airport Project and directly responsible for us to move over 10million m³ of material to create a safe and usable Access Road, complete all the fills including Dry Gut and getting the Runway to the right level.”

A photo of the blast is attached to this press release.

SHG

23 March 2015

As is normal, there will be some limitations to accessing the Wharf on Maundy Thursday, 2 April 2015.

Access for vehicles will be restricted unless authorised by Port Control. Only pedestrians will be able to access the lower Wharf area.

At this time break-bulk cargo will be stored at the lower end of the Wharf and security officers will be on patrol. Members of the public will be allowed to drop off or pick up fishing equipment etc before returning their vehicle to the car parking area, beyond the Port Control barrier.

Port Control would like to take this opportunity to thank the public in advance for their cooperation.

‘HAPPY FISHING’.

SHG

23 March 2015